Battery Brand / Type?

[Roverdawg76]

Hey fellas.. I've got a Series III 109" 2.25 Petrol... needs a new battery... what kind / brand are you guys running in yours? What have you had good lasting luck with?

Thanks! BC

[daveb]

brand doesn't matter anywhere near as much as the length of the warrnaty and the qualiy of your charging system.

that said, i've had good luck with interstate batteries.


Hey fellas.. I've got a Series III 109" 2.25 Petrol... needs a new battery... what kind / brand are you guys running in yours? What have you had good lasting luck with?

Thanks! BC

[Roverdawg76]

Was looking at Interstate... thanks for the help!

[scott]

i run w/ two optima red tops. my first one lasted ten years through 3 trucks. being gel cells you can mount them in any position. i've got mine laying on their side, stack on on top of the other and didn't have to modify the battery tray, just the tie downs

[2rovers]

I just installed an Optima red to also. Looking forward to a long life!
Glen

[scott]

2roves, nice looking truck!

[greenmeanie]

Daveb is correct about the quality of your charging system.

I have not had much luck with the Optimas. In my IIA I have run an Optima Red top and killed it and now a yellow top which is slowly dying. The Optimas are quite sensitive to power quality which does not help me as I have some funky 55A AC Delco with an external mechanical regulator. I should really swap it for a 10SI some day.

I am currently doing a complete rewire on my 101 which is being built round a painless 12 circuit core and realy block plus two Odyssey PC1500's fed from a 63A AC Delco 10SI. I've put on a Hellroaring dual battery controller which controls charging and has a remote that allows me to select either battery or line up both on the starter. I will finally have a reliable start and banish the constant chasing of shorts in the old LUCAS system. You can tell this beastie is my garage queen.

The Odysseys are NICE but expensive.

A simple rule for choosing a battery is:
1. Measure the available mounting space.
2. With these dimensions find the battery with the largest CCA that will fit. In a cold climate this is the important number. In a hot climate look at the reserve capacity and shoot for the largest number.
3. Decide the technology you are happy with. The spiral cell Optimas, Odysseys and Excides are good and have some advantages in mounting and spill resistance but are expensive. For a lot less money you can still get a good lead acid wet battery.

Whatever your battery choice, first check that your alternator is chucking out about 14.4V or so to make sure the battery will get its full charge. Also sum up the amp loads (Extra lamsp and radios etc.) on your truck and make sure the alternator can handle it or you will constantly be sucking juice from the battery which is a quick way to kill it.

Cheers
Gregor

[sven]

Group 27F is the biggest size you can fit in a series.

[Maxredd90]

Optimas are the way to go if you have the right setup. It sounds like in your situation you need a nice interstate from either wallmart or sears. I find they actually have the best warranty. I've got a volvo with an interstate from wallmart. They have been surprising awesome with honoring the warranty etc!

[2rovers]

Hey Scott,
Thanks for the compliment! It looks good from a distance! Running the hard top for this winter and what a differece from last winter with the soft top.
Glen

[friar mike]

well I find out how good the one in mine is this winter the battery came from England with the rover its from Halfords (there like Schucks is here) its new but its cold up here it was -5F this AM and mines a diesel.

[SHORLAND]

Do yourself a HUGE favor and get you some Odyssey batteries! Get them from this guy. They are the best deal I have seen. My local Odyssey dealer now buys them from him as well. I asked him if he could meet there price on a set a batteries. He didnt believe what I said they were going for PLUS they had free shipping. They were cheaper delivered to me than what his cost was! They are also a dry cell battey!:thumb-up:

http://www.batterycentralmall.com/Batteries/Odyssey/Odyssey.html

[SHORLAND]

I just installed an Optima red to also. Looking forward to a long life!
Glen


The last few years Optima has taken a crap on quality. Also they are produced in several factories now and quality (internally) varies from factory to fatory. I have a Snowcat Business and batteries are my NUMBER #1 problem in -40 f. I simply gave up on Optima. At one time they were indeed the best but now I am lucky to get one year out of the new ones. I have since switched to Odyssey batteries and man what a HUGE diffrence. They even blow away the old style (high quality) Optimas! No comparison. In fact I feel they are the absolute best battery on the market. The US Navy agrees as does the rest of the Armed forces. Hell they even use them in F16s and such! No I am not a Odyssey stock holder or dealer. Just someone who needs a battery to work or I may be dead.